Three straight losses drop the Blackhawks in this week's power rankings

There were major shifts this week in the power rankings as a couple of teams rose from the depths to the top five. These power rankings are determined mostly by a team's win-loss record, but also by their recent performance, injuries, and the strength of the week's schedule. For example, if teams have similar records or point totals, they will receive a higher ranking based on who they played and the margins of victory. Teams will also be ranked higher or lower depending on how they have played over their last 10 games.

The Past Week (0-3-0)

The Chicago Blackhawks led off the week against Seattle and played well in the first two periods, but they fell apart in the third. Since I cannot get fined, the referees (once again) played a crucial role in this game, missing a blatant slash on a breakaway and doubling down by calling an unsportsmanlike penalty on Connor Bedard for rightfully being upset with the play. The next night, the team forgot to show up in Buffalo and got annihilated 3-9. Finally, the Hawks concluded the week with a quality game against the Colorado Avalanche but could not solve Scott Wedgewood, losing on a Cale Makar goal.

Tyler Bertuzzi stayed red-hot after his brief injury and scored three goals once again this week. He is currently second on the team in goals and in points behind Connor Bedard. I do not think many fans or experts would have predicted this level of play from Bertuzzi, though he has shown great chemistry with head coach Jeff Blashill. Spencer Knight also played a solid week as he continues to make his case for an Olympic roster position.

Power Rankings

32 - Nashville Predators (6-12-4)
31 - Vancouver Canucks (9-12-2)
30 - St. Louis Blues (7-10-6)
29 - Calgary Flames (8-13-3)
28 - Toronto Maple Leafs (9-10-3)
27 - Buffalo Sabres (9-9-4)
26 - Chicago Blackhawks (10-8-4)
25 - New York Rangers (11-11-2)
24 - Winnipeg Jets (12-9-0)
23 - Edmonton Oilers (10-10-5)
22 - Columbus Blue Jackets (11-9-3)
21 - San Jose Sharks (11-9-3)
20 - Pittsburgh Penguins (10-6-5)
19 - Philadelphia Flyers (11-7-3)
18 - Florida Panthers (12-9-1)
17 - Montreal Canadiens (11-7-3)

16 - Boston Bruins (13-11-0)
15 - Ottawa Senators (11-7-4)
14 - Washington Capitals (12-9-2)
13 - Vegas Golden Knights (10-5-7)
12 - Detroit Red Wings (13-9-1)
11 - Utah Mammoth (12-8-3)
10 - Los Angeles Kings (11-6-6)
9 - Seattle Kraken (11-5-6)
8 - New York Islanders (13-8-2)
7 - New Jersey Devils (14-7-1)
6 - Anaheim Ducks (14-7-1)
5 - Minnesota Wild (12-7-4)
4 - Tampa Bay Lightning (13-7-2)
3 - Carolina Hurricanes (14-6-2)
2 - Dallas Stars (14-5-4)
1 - Colorado Avalanche (16-1-5)

Wild and Lightning are Hot while Hawks and Jets Fall

The Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning are on five and four-game winning streaks, respectively, which have boosted them into the top five. The Lightning are currently in first place in the Atlantic after starting the year at 1-4-2. Nikita Kucherov has also had a good week with seven points in three games. The Colorado Avalanche remain on top of the world, with only one regulation loss and nine straight wins.

The Blackhawks have fallen to twenty-sixth from the ninth position, while the Jets have fallen to twenty-fourth from the sixth spot last week. Winnipeg is 3-6-0 in its last nine games, and much of its slide has to do with the injury to its elite goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck.

Looking Ahead

The Blackhawks play their next three games at home: Minnesota (11/26), Nashville (11/28), and Anaheim (11/30), and are on the road at Vegas on 12/2. This week offers more challenging games for the Hawks to get back on track and offer a good measuring stick to see how they match up against some of the best talent in the NHL.